USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is a supercarrier of the United States Navy, and the lead ship of her class. One of the largest warships in the world, she was laid down, launched, and commissioned as CVAN-68, "aircraft carrier, attack, nuclear powered", but she was later redesignated as CVN-68, "aircraft carrier, multi-mission, nuclear-powered", on 30 June 1975, as part of a fleet-wide realignment that year.
The ship was named after World War II Pacific fleet commander Chester W. Nimitz, USN, (1885–1966), who was the Navy's third fleet admiral. With the inactivation of USS Enterprise in 2012 and decommissioning in 2017, Nimitz is now the oldest U.S. aircraft carrier in service.
History
Name: USS Nimitz
Namesake: FADM Chester W. Nimitz, USN, (1885–1966)
Ordered: 31 March 1967
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Cost: $1.0 billion (1975 dollars)
Laid down: 22 June 1968
Launched: 13 May 1972
Commissioned: 3 May 1975
Reclassified: CVN-68
Homeport: Naval Base Kitsap
Identification:
- MMSI number: 303981000
- Callsign: NMTZ
Motto: Teamwork, a Tradition
Nickname(s): "Old Salt" "Uncle Chester"
Status: in active service
General characteristics
Length:
- Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m)
- Waterline: 1,040 feet (317.0 m)
Beam:
- Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m)
- Waterline: 134 ft (40.8 m)
Draft:
- Maximum navigational: 37 feet (11.3 m)
- Limit: 41 feet (12.5 m)
Propulsion:
- 2 × Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors
- 4 × steam turbines, 4 × shafts, 260,000 shp (194 MW)
Speed: 31.5 knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph)
Range: Unlimited distance; 20–25 years
Complement:
- Ship's company: 3,532, Air wing: 2,480
Sensors and processing systems:
- AN/SPS-48E 3-D air search radar
- AN/SPS-49(V)5 2-D air search radar
- AN/SPQ-9B target acquisition radar
- AN/SPN-46 air traffic control radars
- AN/SPN-43C air traffic control radar
- AN/SPN-41 landing aid radars
- 4 × Mk 91 NSSM guidance systems
- 4 × Mk 95 radars
Electronic warfare & decoys:
- AN/SLQ-32A(V)4 Countermeasures suite
- SLQ-25A Nixie Torpedo Countermeasures
Armament:
- 2 × Sea Sparrow
- 2 × RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile
- 2 × PHALANX CIWS (Close-In Weapons System) Gatling guns
- 4 × MK 38 25mm autocannon turrets
- 10 × .50 cal turret emplacements
Armor: 2.5 in (64 mm) Kevlar over vital spaces
Aircraft carried: 90 fixed wing and helicopters
The ship was named after World War II Pacific fleet commander Chester W. Nimitz, USN, (1885–1966), who was the Navy's third fleet admiral. With the inactivation of USS Enterprise in 2012 and decommissioning in 2017, Nimitz is now the oldest U.S. aircraft carrier in service.
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| Pacific Ocean (July 18, 2012) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) is underway during the Great Green Fleet demonstration portion of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012 exercise. Nimitz took on 200,000 gallons of biofuel in preparation for the Great Green Fleet demonstration during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012. Twenty-two nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC exercise from June 29 to Aug. 3, in and around the Hawaiian Islands. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2012 is the 23rd exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eva-Marie Ramsaran/Released) |
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| Pacific Ocean (June 25, 2012) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) transits the Pacific Ocean. Nimitz is underway conducting carrier qualifications in preparation for Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012, the world's largest international maritime exercise. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael D. Cole/Released) |
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| Top view of the USS Nimitz (CVN-68)'s deck in the Persian Gulf. There are about forty aircrafts, including: more than twenty F-18 Hornet strike fighters jets (with folded wings); three E-2C Hawkeye AWACS, easily recognizable thanks to their radome; four anti-submarine S-3B Viking; two EA-6 Prowler; several F-14 Tomcat interceptors. (U.S. Navy photo) |
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| USS Nimitz returning to NB San Diego homeport, on 30 september 2007. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian Gaines) |
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| Gulf of Oman (June 26, 2013) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) completes a turn in the Gulf of Oman. The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nathan R. McDonald/Released) |
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| (US Embassy Canada) |
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| An aerial stern view of the U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) returning to home port in Norfolk, Virginia (USA), following the aircraft crash on her flight deck on 26 May 1981. The crash, which occurred during the night landing of an Grumman EA-6B Prowler aircraft assigned to the carrier, killed 14 crewmen, injured 45 others, and damaged several parked aircraft. Various aircraft of Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8) are on deck. Note the single EA-6B in low visibility paint (left) and the originally fitted large SPS-43 radar on the mast. (PH1 Ken Brewer, USN / Wiki Common) |
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| Pacific Ocean (May 2, 2013) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) transits the Pacific Ocean. Nimitz is on a western Pacific deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Robert Winn/Released) |
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| Everett, Wash. (March 30, 2013) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) passes by the Olympic mountains as it departs for a scheduled deployment from its homeport, Naval Station Everett. Nimitz will complete its sustainment exercise off the coast of Southern California before continuing on its western Pacific Deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Lockwood/Released) |
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| Pacific Ocean (June 25, 2012) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) transits the Pacific Ocean. Nimitz is underway conducting carrier qualifications in preparation for Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012, the world's largest international maritime exercise. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael D. Cole/Released) |
History
Name: USS Nimitz
Namesake: FADM Chester W. Nimitz, USN, (1885–1966)
Ordered: 31 March 1967
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Cost: $1.0 billion (1975 dollars)
Laid down: 22 June 1968
Launched: 13 May 1972
Commissioned: 3 May 1975
Reclassified: CVN-68
Homeport: Naval Base Kitsap
Identification:
- MMSI number: 303981000
- Callsign: NMTZ
Motto: Teamwork, a Tradition
Nickname(s): "Old Salt" "Uncle Chester"
Status: in active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Nimitz-class aircraft carrier
Displacement: 100,020 tonnes (110,250 short tons)Length:
- Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m)
- Waterline: 1,040 feet (317.0 m)
Beam:
- Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m)
- Waterline: 134 ft (40.8 m)
Draft:
- Maximum navigational: 37 feet (11.3 m)
- Limit: 41 feet (12.5 m)
Propulsion:
- 2 × Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors
- 4 × steam turbines, 4 × shafts, 260,000 shp (194 MW)
Speed: 31.5 knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph)
Range: Unlimited distance; 20–25 years
Complement:
- Ship's company: 3,532, Air wing: 2,480
Sensors and processing systems:
- AN/SPS-48E 3-D air search radar
- AN/SPS-49(V)5 2-D air search radar
- AN/SPQ-9B target acquisition radar
- AN/SPN-46 air traffic control radars
- AN/SPN-43C air traffic control radar
- AN/SPN-41 landing aid radars
- 4 × Mk 91 NSSM guidance systems
- 4 × Mk 95 radars
Electronic warfare & decoys:
- AN/SLQ-32A(V)4 Countermeasures suite
- SLQ-25A Nixie Torpedo Countermeasures
Armament:
- 2 × Sea Sparrow
- 2 × RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile
- 2 × PHALANX CIWS (Close-In Weapons System) Gatling guns
- 4 × MK 38 25mm autocannon turrets
- 10 × .50 cal turret emplacements
Armor: 2.5 in (64 mm) Kevlar over vital spaces
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